Buffett to Republicans on writing voluntary check to government: you first! [View all]

[ProSense]

Gov. Chris Christie To Warren Buffett: ‘Write A Check And Shut Up’

By Travis Waldron

President Obama’s tax plan has, in part, focused on making the wealthiest Americans pay more in taxes through a provision known as the Buffett Rule, which is named after famous investor Warren Buffett and would place a minimum tax on the income of millionaires. The plan, included in Obama’s budget last week, has led to predictable claims of class warfare from Republicans, many of whom are crafting ways to give the wealthy even larger tax breaks.

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie is one of the Republicans incensed by Obama’s plan. When CNN’s Piers Morgan asked last night what he thought about Buffett, Christie responded by saying he “wasn’t going to get into this class warfare business,” then told Buffett to “write a check and shut up”:

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Buffett, perhaps unbeknownst to Christie, has offered to write a check to the government — as soon as any of the Republicans who have called on him to do so write one first. In January, Buffett told Time Magazine he’d match dollar-for-dollar any voluntary contribution made by Republicans. “And I’ll even go three-for-one for McConnell,” he added, referring to Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY).

Thus far, Buffett has had to match just one Republican — Rep. Scott Rigell (R-VA). The rest of the GOP has chosen to ignore inequities in the tax code and rising income inequality, choosing instead to balance the budget solely through spending cuts to vital programs that help the Americans most in need of help.

Just yesterday, Christie himself unveiled a tax plan that would give 40 percent of its benefits to New Jersey’s richest one percent.

http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2012/02/22/430003/christie-buffett-shut-up/

Repeat: "Christie himself unveiled a tax plan that would give 40 percent of its benefits to New Jersey’s richest one percent."

Someone needs to shut up, and it's not Buffett.

A simple solution to inequality: Stop talking about it
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/post/a-simple-solution-to-inequality-stop-talking-about-it/2012/02/22/gIQAl1nNTR_blog.html